The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-23
Indeed it must" said the stranger.

can never keep man more tnan SIX
months, without one set or the other
getting down on him. He's sure to be
in hot water somewhere. Oh, dearl
why didn't you catch that?"
This last exclamation was not ad-
dressed to the stranger, hut to Mr..
Gilkey. For in the excitement OF
the discussion, the lady loosen
ed her hold upon the bandbox,
and q sudden jolt OF the cars had
precipitated it into the aisle. With
the aid OF a fellow-passenger and
cane, Mr.. Gilkey fshed up the precious
parcel, and by the time this feat was
accomplished, the train was moving
slowly into Brandon station.
Mr.. Ames shook hands with the
stranger at parting, and said he was
glad to have met him; after which
ceremony the travellers repaired to
their several destinations, Mrs. Gil
key with vague forebodings lest the
fall should have resulted disastrously
to the contents OF the bandbox; Mr..
Ames with n placid satisfaction with
himself and the world at large, and
the stranger-but as he is q stranger
We can not guess with any accuracy
what his thoughts and feelings were.
The church was filed that Sabbath
morning, and an agreeable flutter OF
expectation pervaded the well-dressed
congregation. Their faces wore that
wide-awake, alert expression OF per
sons who expect to be entertained.
Mr.. Ames felt very tranquil in spir-
it, as he leisurely assembled the church
steps, just in time for the opening an
them. AS he leaned back in the seat
and glanced over the crowded house,
he said to himself that he, for one
was glad. they were going to have
steady pastor, and he was going to do
his best to encourage him. He'd get
introduced after service, and invite
him up to dinner tomorrow. He
nudged his wife and contided to her
this resolve, and she said twas 'just
the thing"
He GRAINED his neck around to get a
sight OF the new man, but the desk
completely hid him from view, as he
sat in the large pulpit chair, resting
his head on one shapely hand.
With the last notes OF the anthem,
Mrs. Gilkey sailed down the aisle in all
the glory OF her new bonnet, while her
husband followed at q respectful dis.
tance behind the swaying plumes and
spreading brim. Mrs. Ames whispered
to her husband that 'twould be just
like the Gilkeys to try to get in
ahead with the minister, that woman
was $50 pushing"
He must remember and speak to the
minister right after church.
The choir sat down with a. flutter
and giggle. There was q brief pause.
Then the preacher advanced to
the desk and announced the
hymn. AS the mellow tones
OF his voice aoated out over their
heads the waiting congregation smiled
gracious approval. But what was it
made Mr.. Ames start SO violently at
the first words OF the reader, stare
hard at the desk and sink back into
his seat with an expression OF blank
dismayY Mr.. Gilkey observed it from
where he sat and wondered what il
meant. One look at the minister
told the story. He was the stranger
who had shared Mr.. Ames seat in the
cars the night beforel
The subsequent proceedings were
fraught with painful interest for at
least two OF that audience. Mrs. Ames
whispered to her husband that she
noticed that Mrs. DR.. Holmes wore a
new sealskin, but he needed her not,
and when the congregation rose
to sing, he kept his seat, de.
spite that lady's reproving look. He
stole furtive glance at Mr.. Gilkey to
see how he bore It. That gentleman,
after some discussion with his wife,
arose, and held the book for her dur.
ing the hymn, but he hung his head,
and looked crushed in spirit. Mrs.
Gilkey, on the contrary, carried her
head and new bonnet with conscious
dignity, and sang like robin.
To Mr.. Ames excited imagination |
that service was ten hours long, al. |
though the clock only indicated an |
hour and half Brandon had not |
heard such sermon for many day; |
but Mr.. Ames, alasl couldn't have told
a word there was in it. He counted the
pipes in the organ, the crystals on the
chandeliers, the panes OF glass in the
windows, in his frantic attempts to
make the time pass. But every time
he returned from some abstruse, nu
merical calculation only to hear the
eloquent tones OF the preacher and be.
hold the people hanging in rapt at
tention on every word. Mr.. Ames
did not wait to be introduced to the
minister after the service. Far from
it! He fished his hat out from under
the seat with unwonted alacrity, and
made for the door, looking neither
to the left nor right,